Season debut: Niemann is the last active Ray to see action, with the blister on his right middle finger just about healed and no restrictions on his workload. He is 1-2, 3.48 in five games vs. the Tigers.

Career debut: Smyly, 22, was a 2010 second-round pick and was Detroit's top minor-league pitcher last year, going 11-6, 2.07 for Class A Lakeland and Double-A Erie with 130 strikeouts in 126 IP.

"The concussion questions I probably couldn't have got right on my best day anyway."

RHP Jeremy Hellickson, on the battery of questions he was asked after being hit in the head by a ball

Chart of the day

Manager Joe Maddon is one win from 500 with the Rays. His milestones:

Win Date Opponent

1 4-3-06 at Orioles, 2-0

100 7-29-07 vs. Red Sox, 5-2

200 8-14-08 at A's 7-6

300 9-19-09 vs. Jays 4-0

400 9-24-10 vs. Mariners, 5-3

Challenge of the day

Rookie OF/C/DH Stephen Vogt welcomed the challenge of making his first big-league start against Justin Verlander (even though he went 0-for-3). And though it was obviously his first time facing the Tigers ace, Vogt had some familiarity — from playing baseball video games, with some success. "He's pretty good on the video games, too," Vogt said.